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I have been reading early history of Indian life and they have a religion,say prayers and a belief in the after life and a belief there is aGreat Spirit.
So why were they so persecuted by the Christians when they themselves came here for freedom of religion?

2006-08-24 16:53:00 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

14 answers

We were and are a spiritual people, not "religious", unless you converted to Chrstianity. Religion is a Whiteman's deal. We or should I say "I", believe everything has a spirit, even rocks so to the "religious" people that makes me a Heathen a Savage. Who cares? I don't, I maybe a Heathen, a Savage, but now I will say "we" have never killed other people because they didn't believe in the same god as we do. So think about it. Who are the real Savages?

2006-08-28 16:55:12 · answer #1 · answered by bigjfry 4 · 0 0

People fear what they don't understand, and what they fear they hate. What is hated is killed.
The Native Americans were very spiritual, and should be venerated as such. Their communities were strong and the children raised by the whole community. This is very much different from today's families. Isolated and insulated, away from their communities, and the children suffer for this.
In fact, the American Indians weren't persecuted per se until the newcomers decided that the land should be theirs; another thing that Native Americans did differently--they didn't believe in owning the land, because the land is of Nature, and no one owns nature. It is a part of God and cannot be a commodity--- until now. *shame...

2006-08-25 00:00:40 · answer #2 · answered by Lauralanthalasa 3 · 2 0

the native americans of the Apache and Lakota nations believe in ONE god and may call him great spirit,Creator, or God.

they pray to the spirits of totem animals but do not revere them as gods just teachers and spiritual guides.

the honor the land and the earth and consider every liveing sacred. they practice a lifestyle that is free of Guilt and Shame.

the christians came first to teach the savages the ways fo jesus christ, many converted because the religion as it is taught seems so similar.
but when some of the Medicine Men would not convert they showed their true side and went into destruction mode killing and burning villages and destroying sacred Inipi ( puricication lodges.)

2006-08-25 00:16:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2 0

Because the Great Spirit was not the same "god". Christians have been slaughtering people for centuries in the name of "god". The Native American Indians were no different as their almost complete genocide is proof.

2006-08-24 23:59:10 · answer #4 · answered by jobie023 3 · 1 0

You are right. The native american idea of what westerners consider "divine" or "holy" was so much more relative to daily existance and the world around them, a very healthy way to approach life. To bad there's more closed minds in this "questions and answers" space.

2006-08-25 00:00:49 · answer #5 · answered by skippybuttknuckle 3 · 0 0

The persecution of Native Americans occurred for alot of reasons. The fact that they had incorporated a pagan belief of nature worship was not the reason for their trouble directly, although God may have allowed their overthrow because of their denial of God's truth.
Those who treated the Indians with disdain were not the ones living out their Christian faith.

2006-08-24 23:58:52 · answer #6 · answered by foxray43 4 · 0 3

I am 1/2 black foot Indian and yes my ancestors were spiritual just as all American Indians were.... but they worshiped earth and the sun and the moon etc.....I have forgiven those who have persecuted us and I am now a christian.....Jesus is Lord1

2006-08-25 00:03:11 · answer #7 · answered by shiningon 6 · 1 1

God can blind a person to the truth!
That blinding can cause one to go to extreme.
The civil war, the attempt to wipe out Indians, wipe out the Buffalo.
Hatred of Blacks, etc...

And God in the latter days, will send a blinding, and strong delusion unto many.

2006-08-25 00:04:49 · answer #8 · answered by Grandreal 6 · 0 0

The Christians needed to expand, and they felt the Natives were abusing the lands resources by not squandering them.

2006-08-25 00:01:40 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0 1

Yes Indians do believe in the Great Spirit.I believe they were very close to the earth living in harmony with it.

2006-08-24 23:58:00 · answer #10 · answered by greenstateresearcher 5 · 1 0

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